Cameron Douglas' sentence is upheld in New York court

Monday, April 15, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) -- A federal appeals court in New York has upheld a judge's decision to nearly double the five-year prison sentence given to the son of actor Michael Douglas.

Cameron Douglas had been sentenced in 2010 to five years in prison in a cooperation deal after pleading guilty to narcotics distribution. But Douglas committed several drug infractions in prison, and Judge Richard Berman boosted the sentence in late 2011.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday that Berman gave adequate reasons to justify the "unusually long sentence."

The 34-year-old Douglas is scheduled for release in 2018.

The appeals judges also say the nation may be better served by a medical approach to treating addiction. But they add that current laws must be enforced until then.